Discuss the importance of human resource management to the success of the new African factory.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Feb/Mar 2018). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. Human resources management – all aspects of planning, recruiting, and motivating the workforce
2. Within HRM – workforce planning – assessing and providing for the workforce needs of the business, both now and in the future.
3. Careful planning will be needed for both the factory set-up and subsequent running and management.
4. Recruitment issues – getting the right people for the jobs.
5. Involvement and motivation of workforce in decision making, teamwork, targets (MBO?) Kaizen groups.
6. Local cultural issues and language barriers
7. This is a project that is being set up 'from scratch'. Considerable planning expertise will be needed to set up and equip the new factory.
8. Co-ordination may be difficult between local managers and those from country X who are sent to set up the factory
9. Discussion of skills required, both for new systems and for kaizen groups and related points.
10. Discussion of production targets as a means of motivation and related teamwork issues
11. Effective HRM will be essential, examples and followed through arguments of how successful planning, recruitment, training and on-going motivation and leadership may/may not lead to the success of the fa
12. The impact of local issues, such as possible redundancy of 'unskilled and unsuitable' staff.
13. The impact of communication barriers between country X and the factory managers in Africa.
14. Successful set up and running will need workforce to operate as a cohesive team
15. Communication will be essential within the factory and with AP in country X
16. Well motivated workforce should lead to more willingness to learn new skills, but issues of education and expertise
17. Expertise and training issues – how will modern techniques be introduced? Might it be difficult to find local managers with expertise?